Raising 1st Round Funding to Develop Next Generation Sensor Platform

Apr 06, 2015

Kansas City, MO – Sytheros Ag is presenting its proprietary technology at the Invest Midwest Venture Capital Forum (www.investmidwestforum.com) today to raise 1st round in venture funding towards commercializing its on-farm sensor network. Sytheros Ag is a precision agriculture startup company that is leveraging proprietary technology provided by its strategic partner Cognosos. This technology is being developed through Ag Innovation Development Group’s venture development process.

“The existing options for on-farm sensor data collection such as cellular or Wi-Fi are costly and not efficient. Not to mention, the sensors are also large, hard to maintain, and cumbersome,” said co-founder and CEO Matt Ramage. “Our intent is to build the supporting structure to enable the next generation of on-farm sensors to be installed by large and small farmers opening up a US market of as many as 2 million farms,” he said.
The base technology developed by Cognosos is called RadioCloudTM which uses a cloud-based networking technology to support sensors that have long battery life, long transmission range, and can transmit through dense foliage or other farm obstructions.

“We are building this platform to provide a unique solution to the needs of farmers who need a cost effective platform to provide sensor information as a service,” said co-founder and CTO Jim Stratigos.
Sytheros Ag anticipates trials in 2015 with the first 1,000 fields signed up by 2017 in the irrigation automation industry; while also working in other sectors including livestock monitoring.

Source: Ag Innovation Development Group

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.